Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

The Health Divide: The devastating toll of wildfires on health is far greater than we think

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Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · 17d

While we retreat on climate policy… @astokespop.bsky.social @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social centerforhealthjournalism.org/our-work/ins...

More frequent, intense and destructive fires fueled by climate change cause far more death and illness than official tallies capture.

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Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · 26d

Not gonna happen. And Trump doesn’t care about right-wing radicalism, so is Kirk’s murder now a big 🤷‍♀️?

The Health Divide: Q&A: Why does rehab keep failing those who need it most?

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · 26d

Had a great conversation with @sho-walter.bsky.social about her eye-opening new book, Rehab: An American Scandal. Highly recommend for anyone who cares about addiction. centerforhealthjournalism.org/our-work/ins...

In her new book, journalist Shoshana Walter revelas how many programs exploit patients, bar mothers, underuse buprenorphine, and worsen racial and gender disparities.

The Health Divide: These states are expanding Medicaid coverage for doulas, as major federal cuts loom

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Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Aug 19

States take a step forward on maternal and child health while the country takes dangerous steps backward. My latest for @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social centerforhealthjournalism.org/our-work/ins...

The embrace of doula support even in Republican-led states is colliding with sweeping federal cuts to health care, public health and research on health disparities.

U.S. measles cases reach 33-year record high as outbreaks spread

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Aug 14

Prepping the ground for repeal of seat belt laws?

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Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Aug 9

Good for you! High anxiety time for me.

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Jul 23

Poison

Reposted by Fran Smith

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Jul 7

The United States has recorded its highest annual measles cases in 33 years. The milestone marks a public health reversal in defeating a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease as the anti-vaccine movement gains strength.

Johns Hopkins University data reflects the public health reversal in defeating the vaccine-preventable disease since measles was officially eliminated from the U.S. in 2000.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Jul 1

The harm is the point.

Tina Smith @smith.senate.gov · Jun 30

I worked at Planned Parenthood.

They diagnose cancers while still treatable. They help women decide what birth control works for them. They help those working through mental health challenges.

Defunding them just harms people who already struggle to find places to get care.

‘I Feel Like I’ve Been Lied To’: When a Measles Outbreak Hits Home

Reposted by Fran Smith

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · Jun 23

i almost can’t read this it makes me so angry. delusional grifters with purity fetishes and eugenic worldviews have brought pain, suffering and death to children www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/u...

www.nytimes.com

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Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Jun 21

Let them eat cake?

The Health Divide: What state gun laws can tell us about the shooting deaths of children

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Jun 18

We often speak of gun violence as an epidemic. Yet the problem fits the definition of chronic: continuing or occurring again and again. If only the current obsession with chronic illness aimed at the leading killer of kids. centerforhealthjournalism.org/our-work/ins...

“The academic in me is never going to say causality,” said Harvard's Jeremy Faust. “But the person with a functioning brain is going to say I’m worried about a causal relationship.”

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Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Jun 16

If you’re a white man…

The Health Divide: Nobody expected this would happen after the Dobbs decision

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Jun 3

Excited to be writing for the USC Center for Health Journalism on the sweeping changes in health care policy, massive budget cuts, and how it’s all playing out in communities. Here’s my first. centerforhealthjournalism.org/our-work/rep...

"This is the story post-Dobbs, that people are doing everything within their power and expertise to make sure that people can still get care," said David Cohen, a law professor at Temple University.

The Budget Bill’s Hidden Health Crisis : The Hastings Center for Bioethics

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · May 25

“Repeal and Replace” ACA failed in 2017. The same bulldozing of health coverage and health care access “is now being sold as an exercise in fiscal restraint.” : bit.ly/43a5Jdu

The budget bill adopted by the House of Representatives on May 22 is not so much a fiscal blueprint as a manifesto in policy retrenchment. Behind its

bit.ly

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · May 25

So hard. My condolences.

Reposted by Fran Smith

MaddowBlog @maddowblog.msnbc.com · May 13

The president of the U.S. appears to be improving his own health through access to great medical care and great medical science. That's what he gets. Simultaneously, his administration is doing so much to hurt regular Americans' opportunity to achieve those same good health outcomes the same way.

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Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · May 13

Was Qatar planning to “gift” said wheelchair?

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Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · May 7

And the, what, 35% (?) who didn’t bother to vote.

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · May 7

And they won’t get help from FEMA when their homes are destroyed by storms they didn’t see coming. FAFO

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Apr 20

In a year of many bad headlines and framing by the NYT, this made me angriest. Whoever wrote, edited and approved it surely went to a good school of higher Ed with fed grants for great research, and knows better.

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Apr 18

Right. Cowards.

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Apr 15

Exactly. Trump ran on mass deportation.

Fran Smith @fransmith.bsky.social · Apr 15

Of course there is. A serious effort to stop antisemitism would not ignore anti-Jewish rhetoric and violence on the right or aimed at Dems, trample due process, or use (select) antisemitism as a pretext to grab power over higher ed and stifle all dissent. None of which is ever good for Jews.